Little Rock Zoo announces births of 3 maned wolf pupsLITTLE ROCK — The Little Rock Zoo has announced the births of three maned wolf pups. The zoo said Wednesday that one male and two female pups were born Dec. 21 and now weigh about two pounds. Carnivores curator Debbie Thompson at the zoo said it'll be about six more weeks before the pups are on regular display, but that visitors might see them briefly as their mother moves them to a nearby hut or back to her den. The pups are covered in black ...

Body found in Arkansas River in downtown Little RockLITTLE ROCK — Authorities say a body found in the Arkansas River near the Interstate 30 bridge in downtown Little Rock has been identified through the use of fingerprints. Pulaski County Sheriff's Lt. Cody Burk said Wednesday that the body has been identified as 47-year-old Ronnie Tolbert of Little Rock. Burk says a person on a boat discovered the body about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, and crews pulled it from the river about an hour later. Burk says a...

Arkansas lawmakers endorse delay on medical pot launchLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas lawmakers have advanced a plan to delay the launch of the state's medical marijuana program and a proposal removing a requirement that doctors recommending the drug say benefits outweigh its risk. The House Rules Committee endorsed a bill Wednesday to give state agencies until early May rather than March to finalize rules for the medical pot program voters approved last year. The bill would also move the deadline for the...

Arkansas medical marijuana commission to allow 32 vendorsLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission says it will allow 32 dispensaries to be evenly distributed among the state's four congressional districts. The commission also set application and licensing fees for dispensaries Tuesday. The main source of medical marijuana in the state will be cultivation facilities. Dispensaries that choose not to grow medical marijuana will be charged a $2,500 initial license fee and a $10,000 yearly...

Arkansas businessman reports to prison in bribery caseLITTLE ROCK — An Arkansas businessman convicted of bribing a state official is now in a federal prison after an appeals court rejected his request to remain free while challenging his convictions. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2iADagI ) reports 51-year-old Ted Suhl's appeal was rejected on Jan. 3. He reported to an Illinois prison last week to begin serving a seven-year sentence. Prosecutors say Suhl, the owner of two Arkansas m...

Arkansas governor pitches tax cut, vows more coming laterLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson urged lawmakers on Tuesday to approve his $50 million plan to reduce rates for low-income residents and promised to push for bigger changes later to the state's tax code, an effort to appease fellow Republicans who are seeking even deeper cuts. Hutchinson touted his plan to cut income taxes for those making less than $21,000 a year but acknowledged concerns from GOP lawmakers who want larger tax cuts ...

Tax cuts, medical pot to dominate Arkansas sessionLITTLE ROCK— Divisions within the Republican Party over tax cuts and questions about the launch of the Bible Belt's first medical marijuana program are expected to dominate the agenda when Arkansas lawmakers return to the Capitol this week to start their 2017 session. When the 91st General Assembly convenes at noon on Monday, Republicans will hold their largest majority in the Legislature since Reconstruction after gaining seats in the Novembe...

Arkansas mumps outbreak appears to be leveling offLITTLE ROCK— Arkansas officials say the number of mumps cases in the northwest part of the state appears to be leveling off. The Arkansas Department of Health says there were 2,400 confirmed or strongly suspected cases as of Jan. 5. State epidemiologist Dr. Dirk Haselow says there are about 10 new cases of mumps per day. According to Haselow, health officials were seeing 40 or 50 new cases a day at the height of the outbreak. Mumps symptoms ca...

Census: Arkansas sees increase in work-related deathsLITTLE ROCK — A recent census says a majority of Arkansas' work-related deaths in 2015 were linked to transportation. The Arkansas Department of Labor's census shows the state had 74 work-related deaths in 2015. That is up from 67 the previous year. More than half of the 2015 deaths, about 55 percent, were the result of transportation incidents. The transportation-related fatalities include 33 roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle...

Arkansas mumps outbreak appears to be leveling offLITTLE ROCK— Arkansas officials say the number of mumps cases in the northwest part of the state appears to be leveling off. The Arkansas Department of Health says there were 2,400 confirmed or strongly suspected cases as of Jan. 5. State epidemiologist Dr. Dirk Haselow says there are about 10 new cases of mumps per day. According to Haselow, health officials were seeing 40 or 50 new cases a day at the height of the outbreak. Mumps symptoms ca...

2 killed in single-engine plane crash in southwest ArkansasGURDON — Federal authorities said two people were killed when a single-engine airplane crashed Thursday afternoon near Gurdon in southwestern Arkansas while en route from Texas to North Carolina. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said the two killed when the Cessna 400 crashed were apparently the only people aboard when it went down about 75 miles southwest of Little Rock. The names of the victims were not immediately rel...

Lawyers in cigarette lawsuit seek up to $30M in compensationLITTLE ROCK — The lawyers who secured a $45 million settlement for Marlboro Lights smokers in Arkansas have asked a judge to decide how much they should be paid. The lawyers didn't ask for a specific amount in their payment petition last month, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2iQBov5 ) reported. But they said there is precedent that would allow them between $12.4 million and $30 million from the settlement fund, based on the value...

Green Forrest woman killed in collision with tractor-trailerGREEN FORREST — Arkansas State Police say a Green Forrest woman was killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer rig in Carroll County. A police report says 50-year-old Mandi Chaney died in the crash Monday on Highway 103 near the Rudd community south of Green Forrest. The report says Chaney was southbound when the pickup truck she was driving crossed the centerline and collided with the semi. The driver of the semi was hospitalized in undiscl...

4 arrested as police investigate Fort Smith club shooting FORT SMITH — Police say four people have been arrested following a New Year's Day shooting at a Fort Smith nightclub that injured three people. Fort Smith police say the shooting happened at about 2 a.m. Sunday at the Fort Smith Jazz and Blues Club. Police said in a news release that an argument broke out among several people who were dancing at the club, and shots were fired. Three people were injured by the gunfire. Police say two people hav...

Hot Springs settles whistleblower lawsuit for $87,500HOT SPRINGS — Hot Springs has settled a 2015 civil rights/whistleblower lawsuit alleging the deputy city manager fired a city employee for corroborating a female coworker's sexual harassment claim against him. The $87,500 settlement led a federal judge on Nov. 28 to dismiss Bill Boyles' lawsuit against deputy city manager Bill Burrough and the city. The city released the settlement terms following a request from The Sentinel-Record (http://bit...

Arkansas House adding metal detectors, security guardsLITTLE ROCK— Visitors to Arkansas' House of Representatives will have to go through additional metal detectors when the Legislature convenes for the session next week. The House on Thursday announced that the detectors have been placed at the entrances to the chamber galleries. House Speaker Jeremy Gillam said in a statement that he's also directed additional security guards be stationed at public entrances to the House. Visitors to the state ...

PBS explores 1980 nuclear threat triggered by socket wrenchLITTLE ROCK— For about 10 hours in 1980, the United States faced a nuclear threat of its own making after an airman performing maintenance on a Titan II missile dropped a 9-pound socket 70 feet, ripping a hole in a fuel tank and leading to an explosion that propelled a 9-megaton warhead out of the ground. Using decades-old U.S. Air Force training footage, re-enactments and drone-shot video from a mothballed silo, director Robert Kenner recalls...

Arkansas governor approves board's limits on dicamba useLITTLE ROCK — Gov. Asa Hutchinson has approved proposed regulations by the Arkansas State Plant Board to limit use of herbicides containing dicamba. Hutchinson said Wednesday that he's determined the proposal will not cause unnecessary burdens on businesses, but said the methods and research used by the board must be clearly defined and he wants the board to provide "clear rules" within 45 days. Dicamba is a relatively inexpensive weed killer,...

Arkansas lawmaker pleads guilty to conspiracy chargeLITTLE ROCK — An outgoing Arkansas state lawmaker pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring with a state senator and others to arrange kickbacks from government funding earmarked for economic development, federal prosecutors said. Rep. Micah Neal, 42, a Republican from Springdale, said in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville that he received $38,000 from funds awarded to two entities by the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District. One was...

Arkansas governor announces intent to grant clemency to 8LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Asa Hutchinson has announced his intent to grant pardons to eight convicts. Hutchinson's office said Wednesday that each of the eight have completed all jail time and parole and probation requirements and have paid all fines. The eight are Kevin Brandon of Hot Springs; Michelle Cox of Fort Smith; Clinton Ethridge of Tuckerman; Nicole Turner Litty of Mountain Home; Robbie Mitchell of Searcy; Robert Owens of Quitman; Thaddeus ...